Wednesdays with Eryka

One of My Favorite Then and Now Pictures with Eryka

Some of you great folks out there have written asking where is Wednesdays with Eryka. First thank you for letting us know how much you miss her Wednesday posts. We are genuinely touched!

Eryka is going back to school for her RN degree and that is going to require a lot of her time. With a full time job as an LPN and clinical work,(for her RN) twice a week till late at night, it's going to be rough.  And school is always a priority.

We hope you understand and who knows maybe she'll stop by and surprise us with one of her quick and easy recipes. Thank you Eryka (my sugarplum) for encouraging and supporting me and the blog. Wishing my daughter the best of everything as she embarks on a new path to further her career.  Dad and I are so very proud of you.

Kielbasa with White Beans and Tarragon

Lately, I have been experimenting with kielbasa in my cooking and I have to say it is delicious! Like sausage, it is easy to cook with, and is versatile in that you can pair with just about anything: rice, pasta, beans, pita, wraps, vegetables and more. You can saute it, grill it, broil it! It cooks up quickly and doesn't dry out. In this recipe I sauted the kielbasa. It is ok for it to char a bit; it'll taste just as good with a little extra crunch. You can easily switch the kielbasa with any sausage you like if you want to change it up or if you do not like kielbasa. This recipe cooks up in 30 minutes or less, which of course  makes it a wonderful weeknight meal! My boyfriend had seconds...that is how delicious my Kielbasa with White Beans and Taragon was!

Recipe:
1lb Kielbasa, sliced in discs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper
1 15 oz can white beans, rinsed (like great northerns or cannellini)
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 tablespoon tarragon

1. In a saute pan, heat oil on medium heat and cook the kielbasa. Cook on each side until browned or to taste turning over to brown both sides, about 10 minutes. Set kielbasa aside on a plate.

2. In the same saute pan (you may need to add more oil), add the onion, carrots, salt and pepper (to taste) and cook, stirring constantly, until soft, about 8 minutes.

3. Add the wine and beans, simmer for about 5 minutes. Stir in the kielbasa and tarragon. Serve and enjoy!

Hearty Four-Bean & Kielbasa Soup

In South Florida, there is no such thing as "winter," just occasional, beautiful, coldish days. The lowest it has been so far is probably 49 degree, which believe it or not, is freezing for us Floridians. We break out our boots, scarfs, turtlenecks, and large sweaters, it is the funniest thing. My boyfriend is from New York, so obviously this weather is a joke to him. He goes out in shorts and I just freak out, but I digress and the point of me bringing up the weather is that in the event of these random cold days I make yummy, comforting warm soups, thus this recipe. This I made when I got home from work on Thursday evening with no plan of what to make. I'm trying to consume less red meat, so I knew chili was out of the question but I did have turkey kielbasa sitting in the fridge begging to be used. I put flavors together in my head with the kielbasa, the beans and the spices and the result is this yummy soup! You can almost clear out your pantry with this recipe. Use what beans you may like as well as regular kielbasa instead of turkey. The next day it was just as delicious if not more since the spices had even more time to mingle. I hope you enjoy my impromptu soup and hope it'll help warm up your chilly nights!

Recipe:

Eryka on Wednesday with Eryka

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 16oz turkey kielbasa, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 15.5oz can black beans
1 15.5oz can red kidney beans
1 15oz can pork and beans
1 8.3oz can baked beans
1 14.5oz can diced tomato
1 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large stew pot, heat oil on medium. Add the onions, peppers and onions. Cook until fragrant and soft. Add the kielbasa; cook together for about 5 minutes.

2. In the same pan, add all the canned products with their juices (important: do NOT drain). Stir to combine. Follow with the tomato paste and all the spices.

3. Stir and bring everything to a boil then lower to a simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Taste to check to seasonings. If ready, serve in bowls, top with your favorite cheese and enjoy!

Mayo-Panko Crusted Chicken

It is Tuesday afternoon, 5pm after work and I'm staring at a defrosted bag of chicken breast. What to do?!

I had no time for a decent marinade or for a brine to make the forever dry chicken breast moist.... but alas it hit me! Mayonnaise!

You must be thinking, what in the world? How does that make sense?

Baking chicken is, to me, the fastest, easiest way to cook chicken but baking tends to make the chicken breast dry out.  Here's how I fixed that little problem...

The mayonnaise in this breaded chicken recipe not only does the job of adhering the panko but adding much needed moisture and flavor to the breast. The panko makes it fluffy and crunchy ... it a perfect marriage. The recipe was a hit at home! I even shared it with a co-worker and it was a hit at her home; we were both successful in feeding our tired, hungry men AND they both asked that it be added to our cooking routine. Now that is a compliment. You could substitute chicken breast for chicken tenders. For an accompaniment, I made macaroni and cheese but the options are endless: pasta, corn on the cobb, baked potato, steamed veggies, rice pilaf, salad, beans, coleslaw, French fries and the list goes on. Have fun with it and enjoy!

Recipe:

Mayo-Panko Crusted Chicken is a
Wednesdays with Eryka Recipe

1lb chicken breast, halved
salt and pepper
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup panko
1/2 grated parmesan cheese

1. Butterfly the chicken breast so that they are thin resulting in faster cooking time and more pieces. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In one bowl or shallow dish, place the mayonnaise. In another dish, combine panko and parmesan cheese. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with non-stick spray.

3. Take the first piece of chicken breast and coat in mayonnaise. Followed by coating the chicken with the panko-parmesan mixture then place on the baking sheet. Repeat for all pieces of breast.

4. Place baking sheet in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes or until cooked through. Flip half way through cooking to ensure browning (it also adds a pretty color). Once done, serve and enjoy!

Where's Wednesdays with Eryka?!

Relax folks! I've given Eryka the week off because it's her birthday week. She and her boyfriend, Mike, have a trip planned to Disney World to celebrate the coming of her 27th year! It's an all out trip with a fun character breakfast and fancy dinners at Epcot's World Showcase. I know they will have a great time. So Happy Birthday to my sugarplum, Eryka!

While she's out I'm sharing one of her top most viewed, liked and shared recipe and of course it's a dessert!

Banana and Nutella Pastry Bundles, only four ingredients and so easy to make, but they look so impressive!  If you are hosting a SuperBowl party this Sunday, serve these.  Just be sure to make a double batch, because your guests will want more for sure!

Recipe:

• 1 puff pastry sheet, thawed
• 1 banana, sliced in 1/2 inch pieces, 9 pieces total
• 9 teaspoons of Nutella
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Thaw the puff pastry until you can easy handle it. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Lightly flour your work surface and place your puff pastry down to cut it into 9 squares (remember to not worry about being perfect, it's ok!).

3. In each square, place a teaspoon of nutella topped by the banana slice. Brush the egg along each edge. Take each opposite corner and press tightly together. Repeat to all pastry pieces.

4. Place the pastries on a baking sheet and brush all over with the egg for the extra golden color when baking. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden in color.

5. Place on a cooling rack when done for about 5 minutes then enjoy!

Lentils with Turkey Kielbasa

Lentils and kielbasa are two things I completely enjoy, so for this recipe I am combining both! Lentils are very filling, hearty and comfort food to me. I enjoy making recipes with lentils or split pea because it makes all my senses happy and after a long day at work on my feet I want comfort food, plus leftovers! Lentils is great for a filling dinner paired with rice or keeping it lighter by eating it simply as a soup with your favorite bread. It makes plenty for dinner and then my favorite: leftovers! The Goya Azafran seasoning packet is completely optional. If it is not available in your grocery store you can omit it or add your own spices. If you do omit the packet make sure to add salt; I always add salt at the end of these kind of soups since I add the seasoning packet and it tends to be salty on its own. I hope you enjoy another one of my comfort go to foods!

Recipe

A Wednesdays with Eryka
Recipe

• 1lb turkey kielbasa, sliced into coins
• Olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 packet Goya Azafran seasoning
• 1-16 ounce bag lentils
• 1 cup white wine
• 5 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sweet potato, chopped in chunks
• 3 russet potato, chopped in chunks
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large stock pot, heat olive oil on medium heat and add the turkey kielbasa. Cook until slightly browned on both sides. Remove from pot.

2. In the same pot, add a little bit more olive oil plus the onion, pepper and garlic. Cook for about 4 minutes until fragrant and slightly soft. Add the kielbasa back into the pot with the vegetable mix. Stir together and cook for about 1 minute.

3. Add in the cumin, lentils and Azafran seasoning packet. Stir to combine all the ingredients for about 1 minute. Add in the liquids (the amount varies, just make sure it is about 2 inches above the lentils) and bay leaf. Stir it all together then bring to a boil. Simmer on low-medium heat for about 45 minutes.

4. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, bring soup back up to a boil and add the potatoes. Lower to simmer over low heat and in the mean time, if you are accompanying with rice, make it at this time.

5. Once 15 minutes have passed check to see if the potatoes are soft with a knife or fork. If it is then it is ready to eat. Add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve and enjoy!

Spicy Turkey Kielbasa Alfredo Pasta

Pasta, how I love thee. It is safe to say I'm a big pasta lover so I present to you another delicious pasta dish! This is a great dish for the weekend; it is also great for a get together since there is enough to go around. I do recommend to make this during the weekend rather than during the week because even though it is an easy recipe there are a lot of steps. Make it on a Sunday night to have left overs for 2 days! Now when a recipe calls for cheese I always believe more is... more! I like adding a lot more cheese than I ever read in recipes or even in my own recipes. The texture cheese leaves plus the taste you just can't go wrong. My boyfriend gave me the biggest compliment with this dish, the night I made it he told me this is a definite repeat recipe! It is important to cook the sauce in the same pan the kielbasa was cooked for depth of flavor. The pasta shape is up to you but I do recommend a pasta that has ridges such as penne, corkscrew or rotini so that the sauce and all that lovely cheese adheres to every bite. I hope you enjoy this recipe for it has become a new staple in my home!

Recipe:

A Wednesdays with Eryka Recipe

1lb Turkey Kielbasa, 1 inch slices
Olive oil
1 box corkscrew pasta
3 tablespoons butter
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoon flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cups half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups Mozzarella cheese

1. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil to a medium heat then add the kielbasa. Cook until browned on both sides. Set aside once browned.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions.

3. While pasta is cooking, in the same sauté pan the kielbasa was in, melt the butter then the flour. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant.

4. Wisk in chicken broth until smooth followed by the half and half one cup at a time. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne and red pepper flakes. Simmer until sauce is thickened.

5. Add the parmesan cheese with 1 cup of mozzarella into the sauce and stir until smooth.

6. Preheat broiler. Add the kielbasa into the sauce followed by the cooked pasta. Stir until combined. Pour pasta mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella.

7. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve and enjoy!

Cuban Franks with Yellow Rice - Arroz con Salchichas

*A Wednesdays with Eryka Recipe*

Franks with yellow rice Arroz con Salchichas ( salchichas pronounced sal-chee-shas) is an old school Cuban recipe that is so easy to make it is almost unbelievable!

This recipe is a throw back to what a typical Cuban housewife would of made (back in the "old-school days") if she had nothing in her pantry but white rice, some azafran (saffron), Vienna sausages and maybe some stock. It's kind of the equivalent of making spaghetti with "souped-up" jarred sauce, because that's all there is in the pantry.

Wednesdays with Eryka

Classically the recipe calls for Vienna sausages but seeing as how I have a bad relationship with Vienna sausages, from over eating them when I was a kid, I put my own twist by using turkey franks. I also add green beans, an ingredient my co-worker told me she adds to hers. It is literally a one pot meal and it is so good!

Recipe:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 -  8 oz bag yellow rice with saffron
4 turkey franks*, sliced in 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup green beans
2 cups water* (or as indicated on rice package)

1. In a pan, heat the olive oil on medium-high heat. Pour in the rice with the seasoning. Brown the rice for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. If needed, lower heat to medium to keep the rice from burning.

2. Add in the franks and the green beans and brown all together for about 2 minutes.

3. Add the water, stir and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer; simmer for 20-25 minutes depending on how dry or mosit you'd like your rice.

4. After 20-25 minutes, check the rice to your liking, stir and serve. Enjoy!

Serve with bread and a simple salad of iceberg lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar. Now your talking ... old-school Cuban dinner.

*Recipe Notes:
Want to try it the original way, use two cans of Vienna sausages and cut each in thirds, saute as directed in step two.
Added more flavor by using chicken or beef stock to the rice instead of water.

Zuppa Toscana on Wednesdays with Eryka

Last Monday my boyfriend was sick. I wanted to make him a soup but I did not want to make the traditional chicken noodle soup. It clicked in my head that his favorite soup is Zuppa Toscana so I decided to make him just that. It is a heartier soup than chicken noodle and much more filling. I researched the recipe and made my adaptation of this popular recipe. You could use spinach instead of kale if you choose, just be aware that it tends to wilt and get soggy, while kale holds up very well in the soup. You could also choose to use hot Italian sausage to add a little kick. The boyfriend ate seconds and for the time being made him feel a lot better. Nothing beats a home made soup to soothe the soul or a cold!

Serves 4-6

2 TBS olive oil
1lb Italian sausage
2 russet potatoes, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
1 onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
16 oz chicken broth
1 qt water
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups kale

1. Slice the casing open of the sausage and crumb into a medium heat pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Cook sausage through until browned. Set aside once done.

2. Add another table spoon of olive oil to the pan and cook onion until soft. Add the garlic; cook for about 2 minutes to not let it burn. Add the sausage back into the pan. Stir everything together and cook for about 1 minute to combine flavors. Spalsh white wine into the pan to deglaze.

3.Add the chicken broth, water, wine and potatoes to the pot. Stir everything to together, bring to a boil and cook on medium until the potatoes are ready (soft when poked with a fork/knife).

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Add the cream and kale, stir to combine. Heat for about 5 minutes to warm the kale and soften. Serve in a bowl with a side of bread. Enyoy!

Easy Italian Sausage Skillet Dinner

Italian food is one of my other favorite foods to make. Italian dishes are usually in line with my vision of cooking: simple and fast! Nowadays, everyone is fast paced, so I believe in recipes that cook up fast recipe and that make life easier but not compromising on good, home-cooked dinners. Italian sausage is a great meat. It's absolutely delicious, full of flavor, easy to make, spicy or sweet and versatile. However, as my mom mentioned in a previous post, it is easy to get stuck on the same ol' recipe of sausage and peppers. Yes it's a great recipe but we need to change it up a little... at least for the sausage's sake! This recipe is great for sausage. If you do not have sausage on hand or do not like sausage then you may replace it with ground beef (another great ingredient). Instead of pasta for this dish I use rice and everything is cooked in one pan making it a fast easy dinner for during the week. You will notice the recipe calls for instant rice and it is important to make sure instant rice is used or it will not cook properly. I hope you enjoy this delicious sausage recipe!

Recipe:
1 lb Italian sausage (sweet or spicy), cut into 1 inch pieces
olive oil
1 green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes
2 cups vegetable juice
1 1/2 cups instant rice
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese


1. In a skillet, heat oil on medium heat and cook sausage pieces until no longer pink.

2. Add the pepper, onion and garlic. Cook until crisp.

3. Add the can of diced tomatoes and vegetable juice; cook and stir until mixture boils. Remove from heat and stir in the rice.

4.Cover and let stand for 6-8 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with mozzarella then cover to melt. Enjoy!

Easy Ground Beef Curry

I have been on an Asian kick lately. Asian flavors have been dominating my taste buds for some reason and the best part about it is that Asian cooking is generally very easy, quick food to make. This beef curry I made in about 45 minutes; another good weeknight dinner without sacrificing flavor. Asian food, for some reason, reminds me of my grandmother. I am always mentioning her, but I can't help it because she was she a huge role model in my life. She and I would order Chinese food on Saturday nights when I came to sleep over while the parents were out to play. We would drive to Canton Chinese food, order the food (she did not believe in phoning the order ahead of time), sit and wait for the order to be ready, pay and take it home. The beginning to a series of fun Saturday nights was always with Chinese food. We would always order the same thing; me the chicken with broccoli and her I believe was the special friend rice and chicken wings.

Wednesdays with Eryka

It was our tradition; we would eat then play Bingo or Parcheesi, watch her favorite Saturday night variety show and we'd end the night with my favorite show: I Love Lucy or The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour! I'm happy for these memories as well as for the developed taste for Asian food that start for me at a local Chinese restaurant and now that expanded beyond that. I hope you enjoy this recipe on Wednesdays with Eryka!





Recipe
2 tablespoons oil
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 1/2 cups stock

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a saute pan. Over low-medium heat, cook the onion, pepper, cumin seeds and bay leaves. Stir and cook for about 2-3 minutes until the spices are fragrant. Add the tomatoes and cook and stir for about 10 minutes.

2. In the same saute pan, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute then add the ground beef, coriander, turmeric and chili powder. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the meat is browned.

3. Pour the stock into the pan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer , stir occasionally for about 20-25 minutes. Season with salt when done and discard the bay leaves. Serve with steamed rice. Enjoy!

Ginger Tomato Chicken

Ginger is an underrated ingredient that I have grown to love. Although it can be overpowering at times, it definitely adds a lot of flavor to your dish. I usually use ginger in more Asian recipes since it is popular in a lot of Asian recipes. This recipe is  a fusion of Italian and Asian; Italian because of the olive oil, tomatoes, garlic and Asian because of the coconut milk and ginger. Coconut milk is a hidden gem at your grocery store. It adds nice body to your sauce or even for a stew believe it or not. It doesn't add too much flavor but it certainly makes your sauces/stews have a creamy consistency, which I tend to enjoy. You can pair this with brown or white rice or pasta because the sauce is creates is versatile for either one. Or serve with a nice green vegetable for that extra fiber! As usual of most of my recipes, this is a pretty simple and quick recipe you can whip up after a day at work. The most time consuming part of the recipe is simmering the sauce and waiting to eat. Enjoy!

Recipe:
1 lb chicken breast, butterflied
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ginger, grated
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium heat and brown the chicken breasts on both sides. Remove and set aside.

2. In the same pan, add more oil and saute the garlic, ginger, stock and coconut milk. Bring to a boil.

3. Add the can of tomatoes and the chicken into the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and baste chicken with sauce. Cook until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with white or brown rice.

Weekly Recipe Round-Up March 3-7, 2014

This was a big week at 
The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon as we celebrated our Food Blog's One Year Anniversary. We've posted over 180 recipes and are looking forward to posting many more in the new year.  Having the support and kind words, likes and shares from our followers and fellow food blogger has made it all worth while, especially at moments when we wondered if it was worth it. And you know what? It sure is! Thank you all for your continued support!

Don't forget to spring forward this weekend as we catapult into daylight savings time in the U.S. I for one am happy about the time change.  It's been really hard to go out running because by the time I get home from work it's late and it's dark. I am not a good night time runner, not to mention that the park I run at has lights off by sundown. The time change also means I have time to photograph my recipes with natural lighting and that alone is good reason enough! I think this week may be the last of the "cold" weather in South Florida and that I will miss dearly but as the famous philosopher Jagger once said "... you get what you need". 

This week's Recipe of the Week was featured on Wednesdays with Eryka, Caramelized Ginger Chicken.  It had the most shares, pageviews and likes from our awesome followers and for that we Thank You!  Here's a look back at what was cooking in the kitchens of The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon this past week.

Featured on Monday:


Red Curry & Coconut Lentil Soup

This is an easy to prep and cook soup that's perfects for weeknight meals. It's vegetarian, spicy, thick, rich in flavor yet light. Loaded with carrots and potatoes, fiber rich red lentils and lots of warm spices.  Makes a big batch, enough for two meals, so you can eat one, freeze one.




Featured on Wednesdays with Eryka:

Caramelized Ginger Chicken

The chicken is seared over high heat then simmered in a rich sauce of ginger, soy, shallots and garlic. Truly delicious!

Featured on Friday:

Zarzuela de Marisco - Spanish Seafood Stew

The perfect quintessential classic Spanish meal. The mix of various seafood is simmered in a sauce that is first infused with tomatoes, onions, peppers, lots of garlic and of course saffron, then thickened with ground almonds and enriched with seafood stock and sherry. Finally it is quickly flambe'd with brandy and sprinkled with parsley.

Caramelized Ginger Chicken

Tired of bland chicken? Look no further because this recipe is absolutely delicious. It is warm, sticky, sweet and lick your fingers good. This recipe use the lovely ginger and it may not seem like the star ingredient but it sure adds that little extra something. Although, for me and my recipes, this is definitely a lengthy recipe in that there are a lot of steps and a total of 3 pans to wash... which I hate doing! However, it is well worth it because the flavor is just intense. Caramelizing the sauce just marries it to the chicken, which makes it messy but oh so good. This is great weekend, barbeque, sports watching, poolside recipe. This would be wonderful with just chicken wings; and I can guarantee it is a crowd pleaser. One ingredient you may not be familiar with that is used in this recipe is fish sauce. Fish sauce you say? Yes, fish sauce! You can find it at your local grocery store in the Asian foods section or  at a local Asian food market...if all else fails and you still can't find it, I suppose the internet is always an option!  And I hope you didn't say "fish sauce eeewwww", because all it does is add a rich saltiness to the recipe. I do recommend using bone-in chicken pieces to add more flavor, your chicken will stay moist and will hold up through the high heat searing process. I hope you enjoy this sticky, gooey, yumminess as mush as I did. Enjoy!

Recipe:
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 lbs chicken (thighs, drumsticks, wings, breast)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 green onion, sliced on diagonal

1. In a large pot, heat oil over high heat; let the pan get hot. Add the chicken to sear on all sides. Sear in batches for better results. Transfer all the chicken pieces when done searing to a plate and set aside.

2. In a separate saucepan, over low heat, combine sugar, lemon juice, and 3 tablespoons of water and to dissolve the sugar; stir occasionally. In another saucepan, over low heat, add the fish sauce, soy sauce and 1/4 cup of water and heat until sauce comes to a simmer; set aside.

3. In the saucepan with the sugar mixture, raise the heat to high to a boil. Boil without stirring until the mixture caramelizes and turns an amber color, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully pour the fish sauce mixture into the sugar mixture. It will bubble vigorously. Stir until smooth; set aside.

4. Return the large pot that you cooked the chicken in to a medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger and pepper and saute together, stirring, until shallots wilt. Return the chicken to the pan. Pour the caramel sauce over the chicken and reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. Uncover the pot and continue to simmer for an addition 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Sprinkle the finished chicken with the fresh green onions and serve with jasmine rice.

Miriam's Picadillo

Friendship has no age. What do I mean? My best friend is my mother, who is obviously older than I am, and I have another very close friend, Miriam, who is my mom's age. I met Miriam while working at buybuyBaby. We became really close, sharing each others drama when we had down time at work plus I got to practice my Spanish with her. Eventually I quit but our friendship extended outside of walls of work. We would text, call and I have even gone over to her house to just gossip and share stories. She is an aquarius like me - making us very similar! So one day I asked her to share her picadillo recipe. Picadillo is a ground beef hash, to sum it up, poor people food that is absolutely delicious and easy to make. Since I learned the Cuban version of picadillo recipe from my mom, I wanted to learn Miriam's version of picadillo, and she is Venezuelan. Her recipe is different from what I'm used to making but it is much simpler and I have to say just as delicious. When she made it for me one Friday afternoon the flavor stayed

Miriam's Picadillo - this is the
one she made, served with
black beans & white rice

on my palette the whole weekend! The following Monday I decided to make it for myself. It is now one of my favorite dishes as well as a new "go to" recipe when I don't feel like thinking too much about dinner or  I am just too tired. This recipe takes a browning sauce, and bouillon powder, which I had nver used before. I have provided a picture in case you've never used it either and now you know what to look for. You can serve this like in the picture further below, with black beans and rice. You could also accompany it with bread or sweet plantains. I absolutely love this recipe and hope you do too!


Recipe:
1 3/4 lbs ground beef
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, minced
1 red or green pepper, minced
2 tablespoons green olives
2 tablespoons raisins (optional)
1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
1 1/2 tablespoon kitchen bouquet browning
and seasoning sauce

1. In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the ground beef. Brown the meat until pink is gone. Add the minced onions and peppers. Cook together for about 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.

2. Add the green olives. It is okay if some of the juice from the olives fall into the beef because it will add more flavor to the dish; add in the raisins. Stir to combine and cook together for about 2 minutes.

3. Sprinkle in the chicken bouillon powder and stir to combine. Drizzle in the browning sauce and stir to combine. Cook all the ingredients together for about 4 minutes until aromatic. Remove the pan off the heat and it is ready to serve.

Rich & Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake

To round out the romantic pasta dinner I posted earlier this week, Tomato-Basil Spaghetti & Seared Chicken, make sure you save room for a must have dessert of my Rich and Creamy Chocolate Cheesecake! The most loved and best known symbol of Valentine's Day or romance in general is chocolate. Everyone loves chocolate and everyone loves cheesecake, so why not combine the two to make a decadent dessert. This cheesecake is luscious, creamy and yes, a little decadently rich. You can jazz it up by adding fruit, whipped cream or chocolate shavings. I am a purist, as my mom likes to call me, so I keep the cake as is. Serve on a pretty red plate and enjoy!

Recipe:
Crust
1 cup crushed vanilla wafer crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Filling
2 cups (12 ounces) milk chocolate chips
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. For the crust, in a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch spring-form pan. Set aside. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a microwave, melt the chocolate chips in 15 second interval to avoid burning the chocolate. Stir in between intervals and melt until smooth. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and flour until smooth. Add eggs and beat on low until combined. Stir in vanilla and melted chocolate until combined. Pour the filling over the crust.

4. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until center is set. Set on a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of the pan to loosen the cake; cool for an hour longer. Refrigerate over night and serve!

Tomato-Basil Spaghetti & Seared Chicken

For me, there is nothing more romantic than a pasta dinner. For Valentine's Day I have this classic recipe for a couple's most romantic night of the year, however, you can make it for any spontaneous romantic night! I went to Italy a few years ago and obviously at every restaurant, pasta rules the menu compared to any other ingredient. One popular dish throughout Rome was Tomato Basil Spaghetti. It was delicious and surprisingly it was a very simple red sauce with spaghetti; the pasta was not over-sauced, it was just enough to coat the pasta but not for it to be swimming in it. This recipe is similar to that idea. The sauce this recipe makes is enough to cover the chicken and whatever pasta you choose to pair it with and nothing more. The basil enhances the rich taste of the tomatoes and the seared chicken remains moist and juicy. This is a great recipe to cook with your significant other which makes the meal that much more delicious! I hope you enjoy this meal whether you make it for the love of your life, for your friends, for your family or even for yourself. Buon Appetito!

Recipe:
3 chicken breasts, butterflied
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons red wine
4 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chicken stock
1-2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1. Butterfly the chicken breast and season with salt and pepper on each side. In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium-heat heat. Let the pan get very hot to create a nice sear on the chicken. Cook in batches for better browning and cook about 5 minutes per side. When all pieces are browned add them all back in to the pan.

2. Add the tomatoes, basil, garlic and tomato paste. Lower the temperature to medium and add the wine to deglaze the pan as well as to start the sauce. Cook everything together for about 3 minutes, adding small splashes of wine if needed.

3. Add the butter, let it melt then add the stock. Sprinkle in the Italian seasoning and bring the sauce to a boil. Lower the boil to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes then turn off the heat. Serve and enjoy!

Weekly Recipe Round-up January 20-24, 2014

It was a week of soups and stews at The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon. Temperatures dropped into the low 40s and high 30s in South Florida. This called for a lot of warm and homey comfort food and coincidentally they all seemed to have a Spanish/Latin flair too! 

This week's Recipe of the Week was featured on Wednesdays with Eryka, Cuban Meat & Potato Stew, a.k.a. Carne con Papa.  It had the most shares, over 200 and pageviews/likes, over 2,500, by our awesome followers and for that we Thank You!  Here's a look back at what was cooking in the kitchens of The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon this past week.

Featured on Monday:

Jax's Chili

Jax's Chili is a chili I've been making for years and has become one of my favorite go-to recipes once the temperatures dip. Using cachucha peppers, red chilies, 3 different types of beans and cocoa powder, the stage is set for the ultimate comfort food. Can be made stove top or in slow cooker I cover both methods in this recipe.

Featured on Wednesdays with Eryka:

Cuban Meat & Potato Stew - Carne con Papa

In *Cuban Meat & Potato Stew* (a.k.a. *Carne con Papa*) the meat and potatoes are simmered in wine, tomato sauce, garlic and paprika,is a big family favorite. Served with steaming white rice and fried green or sweet plantains  makes it *a classic Cuban Sunday dinner*.

Featured on Friday:

Iberian-Inspired Chorizo, Cod and Chickpea Stew

My recipe for Iberian-Inspired Chorizo, Cod and Chickpea Stew is rich, warm and spicy. This tomato based stew brings together the flavors of paprika rich Spanish chorizo, cod fish and chickpeas. Perfect cold weather soup!

Eryka's Sopa de Chicharos - Cuban Split Pea Soup

A few years ago I went to a local restaurant here in the Miami area called La Carreta. It is a major Cuban food chain down here and I have noticed people either really like it or dislike it. I personally like it. plus I have some good memories there with old friends. So a few years ago I went to this restaurant with my best friend on a Saturday. We were about 19 years old, broke, hungry but didn't want fast food. We had heard they have daily specials that were affordable and so on that Saturday night they had Chicharos for $3.95 a bowl. I was in heaven. I fell in love with the dish. When I got home that night I told my mom about it, which of course she had heard of, but she also told me how my grandmother used to make it for me when I was a baby. I embarked on a mission to recreate this delicious soup, aside from Broccoli Cheese Soup, this is my favorite soup. It is a meal, it is homey, it is comforting... all the things I represent in my culinary point of view! I searched for many different recipes, tried different ones, experimented and voila have come up with the recipe I am sharing with you today. I serve this with white rice but you can certainly eat this alone or with some nice bread or crackers. I personally puree the soup at the end because I like the smooth finish but you can definitely go rustic! I hope your enjoy this remarkable soup!

Recipe:
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped into small bits
2 celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
16 oz dried split peas (green or yellow)
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon paprika
dash of cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 pork bone, ham bone or ham shank
2 cups cubed ham
7 cups chicken stock
1 cup white wine
2-3 potatoes chopped

1. In a large stock pot, heat oil on meidum-high heat and add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook until carrots are crisp and onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook together for about 2 minutes.

2. Add the peas, bay leaf, paprika, cumin and salt. Cook together with the vegetables so that the peas become fragrant, about 2 minutes. After that, add the pork bone, cubed ham, stock and wine. Stir everything together and make room to add the potatoes; add the potatoes.

3. Bring the soup to a boil then lower to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about an hour, checking it occasionally. When the potatoes are fork tender the soup is done. Discard the bone and bay leaf. You can either puree the soup or leave it as is. Serve and enjoy!

Cuban Meat & Potato Stew - Carne con Papa

There are so many beef stew recipes out there it is sometimes hard to keep up not to mention it can be overwhelming to choose a recipe. Do a Google search on beef stew and the results are endless. There are many renditions of it, but today I'd like to offer the Cuban version of it and it is my personal favorite. My grandma used to make this when I was growing up but sadly I don't remember what it tastes like and also I never learned the recipe from her... that lady could cook up a storm! According to my mother, this carne con papa recipe is exactly how my grandmother used to make it. To me that is a huge compliment that it does, because this meal and another famous Cuban meal called Picadillo reminds me of her. I'm not sure if it's the paprika, the tomato sauce, the wine that makes this particular beef stew rich in flavor and much added depth,but what I am sure of is how much my family enjoys it whenever I make it. The recipe calls for potatoes but I used sweet potatoes for my boyfriend (pictured) and yes it does work the same!

Serves 4

1 1/2 - 2 lbs beef stew meat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green or red pepper, chopped
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
2 or 3 large potatoes, chopped in medium cubes

1. In a large skillet, brown the stew meat until browned on all sides with the oil. When the meat is browned add the salt, paprika, pepper, bay leaf, onion, garlic and green pepper.

2. Cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes or until the onions are wilted and somewhat translucent. Add the tomato sauce, wine and water. Stir everything together and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 10 minutes, covered.

3. After 10 minutes add the chopped potatoes, stir together and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender. Enjoy!